Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-11-06
Curious Finds.

Curious FINDS.
tChambers's Journal
The sea sometimes yields up part Of.
its treasures in a curious and unexpected
way, as was instanced lately by the dis
coyery OF a richly-jewelled ring in the
back of a herring caught at Dunbar.
The finder was still luckicr than ser
want in Port Glasgow, who, in cutting up
some whiting, found silver coin in one
OF them.
Two curious finds connected with
nautical affairs should have an interest
for Englishmen. Some old canvass that
had long been slowed away 90 lnmber,
on being unexpectedly brought to light,
was found TO be the mainsail OF Nelson's
ship the Victory. The sail was riidled
with shot fired during the battle Of Ira
falgar. When some men were saving
portion of an old ships mainmast
formerly belonging to a man-of-war at
Chatham, a thirty-two-pOund iron shot
was observed embedded in the mast, the
aperture having been plugged up. This
was one of the largest kind Of shot used
in those times.
In a lake in Berkshire q large mis-
shapen and unwieldy club was found
so strange in appearance and unsightiy
i'll its movements that the most apt 10
ologist could not account for It's lneal
descent or say if it was piscatory or am
phibious. The creature was found in
kind OF cage formed by the washed roots
OF an elm-trec by this lake When young
and much smaller this fish must have
got into It's strange prison. Limited TO
a mere turn, the wonder is that 1t
must have forced its way init did not
force It's way out but here it was, after
years must have elapsed. taking quite
the form of the gnailed and struggling
roots With no room 10 develop, tine
tail had almost disappeared, the dor.al
fin was altogether oblitcrated. the body
had become very hard, and the scales
like so much incrustation Of mud Ill
vidcd into layers. The nose WAS so
much pushed in and the gills so enlarged
that when looked at full in the face it
had the appearance of q negro whose
face had been despoiled Of its shining
and oily surface. Indeed, its existence
was matter of marvel, rs the water sub
sided and increased at times, so that in
dry weather it had only the most muddy
home and a semi-hmd forts subsistence.
When removed it seemed puzzle to
know whether to class this strange dis
covery as reptile, fish, Or anything
else.
Another proof how nature has her own
way Of accommodating herself to tn
most extraordinary conditions Of life, is
afforded by the following incident: A
lady lost her gold ring. Some three
years afterwards the losers cat caught
rat from which pussy had eaten the head.
The neck of the rat was exposed, ana the
owner Of the cat saw something metallic
glittering or the rats neck. On eXami-
nation this proved 80 be the lost Wedding
ring embedded in the flesh. The ring
must have been carried by the old rat 10
It's nest, and a very young rat must have
thrust its head into the ring. As the ami
Iaal grew larger each day its novel collar
would become a fixture. The wonder Is
how nature continued to permit her
living demands to be supplied through
such a small circumference, yet the crca-
ture lived. was fat, and looked healthy.
Cats in their hunting expeditions
sometimes meet with an untoward fate.
The writer saw the mummv-like remains
OF one Of these animals which had been
discovered in altering an old building.
From its peculiar appearance the UNI
fortunate creature had evidently been
suddenly crushed fiat, for in its dying
aoonies its teeth had almost bitten
through piece Of wood about a couple
of inches square, which was still en-
bedded in its Jaws. Some Of our readers
may recOllect the discovery of a pctrl-
fed cat in the crcyice of an old stone
wall during some repairs i'll Newgate
jail. In the opinion Of a naturalist, tins
curiosity must have been in Il petriiied
condition for some hundreds OF years
As some workmcn were telling tim
Der near Hone bay, they discoy-
cred in the centre of one Of the trees a
cavity in which were the remains Of q
cat. The skeleton was entire, and some
hair of q sandy color vet remained on
the skin. IT is coniecturcd that the an
NAL, having entered n hollow part OF tine
tree. was unable to cXtiicato Itself, and
the wood i'll process Of years had grown
around it.
Curious finds have not unfrequently
been made in trees. Some woOdcutters
in the forest Of Drommlieg made u
strange discovery. They began to fell
venerable oak, which they soon found to
be quite hollow. Being half decayed it
speedily came to the ground with a
crash, disclosing skeleton Ii excellent
preservation even the boots, which
came above the knee, were perfect. BY
lis side were a pOwder-horn, a porcelain
pipebowl, and n silver watch. The
teeth were perfect. IL would seem
TO be the skeleton of man between
thirty and forty years OF age. IT IS
coDiectured that, while engaged III
hunting, he climbed the free for some
purpose, and slipped into the hollow
trunk, from which there was no release,
and he probably died of starvation.
Another mystery was found in the heart
of an oak. From tree of this kind,
large block about eighteen inches in
diameter, that had been knocking about
i'm various yards and wood sheds, was
split up lately, and in it was found an
auger-hole about three fourths of an
inch in size, containing a bunch OF hui
man hair done up in Il piece Of printed
paper. The hair was near the centre OF
the block. and fastened IN with pine
plug. Ii WAS apparently PIT in when
the tree was quite small, as the tree had
grown over the plug to the thickness OF
about four inches, with the grain per
fectly smooth and straight.
A natural curiosity was shown in a
timUer-merchants workshop. This was
the nest and skeleton of bird embed
ded in piece of beech. The timber
seemed quite sound all round the cavity,
and there was no sign of any aperture
into il but the tim0er being sawed up.
the rest with the bird sitting upon 1t
was found. The nest appeared to he
built with mud, and the bird resembled
titmouse. Probably, at the looping Of
a branch, cavity was formed, and the
outside subsequently grown over but
how the bird was enclosed seems dill
cult to imagine.
In the centre of log OF Honduras
mahogany the saw revealed a large piece
OF honeycomb. The finder says the
wax with the cells was hard, aud re-
aephIe1 I'm color and aDDearaDce q